A Rose By Any Other Name
by Christine M. Greenleaf
Summary: Poison Ivy realizes that she's lonely, and decides to grow herself a daughter that shares her human/plant hybridization. The problem is that Rose is more plant than human, and has the life-span of the flower she's named after. The other problem is that Ivy created her using genetic material from a man, and doesn't tell him...thanks to Erika Rush and GhostGlowLight for suggesting!
1. Chapter 1

**A Rose By Any Other Name**

"So…are we good?"

This question from Two-Face was directed at Poison Ivy, who sat across the table from him, gripping a glass as if her life depended on it.

"Of course we're good, Harvey," she said, forcing a smile. "I'm a mature, rational adult, and I asked you around here to apologize unequivocally for my behavior. I had no right to attack you or Selina with a pair of gardening shears. It was wrong of me."

"Glad you think so," agreed Two-Face. "But you can understand why Selina was kinda reluctant to come. She thinks this is another trap you've prepared to get revenge on us both. But I trust you, Pam."

He picked up his own glass and sipped from it. "After all, there's really nothing for you to be angry about. We broke up a long time ago, and Selina's a single woman, capable of making her own decisions. Plus I understood you didn't want to be with me."

"I don't, Harvey," she snapped.

"You just don't want anyone else to be either, huh?" he asked, smiling at her.

"I don't really want things to be awkward between one of my best friends and me, is all," continued Ivy. "It has nothing to do with my feelings for you. But I don't like thinking about you two together whenever I see Selina."

"Then don't," he said. "Think about the two of us, I mean. There's no reason why you should. I don't see people I know who are in relationships and think about them having sex together. Mostly so I can still sleep at night, in Joker and Harley's case," he added, dryly.

"I've tried to convince myself that they just don't have sex," agreed Ivy. "Which is difficult, when you can hear them having it. But I pretend they're just having a fight."

"I admit it's hard to tell the difference," said Two-Face. "But why can't you do the same for me and Selina?"

Ivy shrugged. "It's different when…it's someone you've been with. You start wondering if she's better than you were, if he does the same things with her and says the same things he said to you. It kinda just makes you feel…replaceable. And you start thinking that maybe what you had wasn't special, even though it felt that way."

Two-Face studied her. "Well, I don't think about it like a competition," he muttered. "It's different to what we had. Not better or worse necessarily. But what we had was special, Pam. You know that. It wouldn't have gone on as long as it had if it wasn't, even with the breaks."

"I guess…we're over for good now, aren't we?" asked Ivy.

He didn't respond. "I dunno, Pam," he murmured. "But I really wanna try to make things work with Selina. She's a great gal, and she's exactly what I need right now. She's committed, for one. And she makes me happy. And she doesn't mind me being a little indecisive – she's willing to put up with the coin and everything."

"She's obviously a keeper, Harv," said Ivy, forcing a smile. "And she's completely over the Bat, huh?"

He shrugged. "She says she is. I have to trust her. She certainly doesn't act like she misses him. But then I imagine he'd be a pretty difficult guy to get close to. People in masks usually are."

"Selina wears a mask, y'know," reminded Ivy.

Two-Face took another drink. "If you invited me over here to try to talk me out of my relationship with Selina, it was a wasted gesture," he said. "I believed you when you said you just wanted to apologize for the way you acted. Selina didn't really want me coming, though – she thinks you're going to try to seduce me. I told her I don't two-time the women I'm with, and I insisted that you wouldn't two-time your friend either."

He looked up at her. "Would you?"

"I thought you trusted me, Harvey," she muttered, putting her glass down. "I don't go around seducing my friends' boyfriends. Except that one time I tried to seduce J, but that was for Harley's own good. And there are no words for how much I regretted that. I learned my lesson, believe me."

"And that other time you seduced J under the influence of a love potion," said Two-Face. "So really it's not an unheard of thing for you to do."

"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I have no designs on you tonight, Harvey," she snapped.

"I'm happy to hear it," he replied. "But I never thought you did. Selina was the one who insisted that I be careful. I think I know you better than she does, though. At least, I know a deeper level of you than she does. I think when you're with her and Harley, you act a lot more tough and heartless than you really are. You're afraid of showing weakness and vulnerability in front of them, because that's Harley's thing, and you don't want them to think you're like her in any way. So you hide it all away under a mask of strength and cruelty."

He sipped his drink again. "I was right, y'see. People in masks are difficult to get close to. You can't blame a guy when he stops trying."

"Or a girl," agreed Ivy, Two-Face thought rather louder than necessary.

"Why are you shouting?" he asked.

"I wasn't," she replied, quickly.

He finished his drink in silence. "Anyway, I'd…better get home. Selina wanted an early night so I don't wanna wake her…"

"Oh…yeah, sure," she said. "You sure you don't wanna stay for just one more drink?"

"Nah, I should get going," he said, standing up.

"You sure?" she asked.

He looked at her. "Are you ok, Pammie?" he asked. "You seem a little agitated."

She laughed. "Agitated? No, I'm fine, Harvey."

"You would tell me if something was wrong, wouldn't you?" he asked. "I don't want Selina to come between our friendship, Pam. Even if we ain't…lovers anymore, I think we still got a pretty great relationship. I wouldn't wanna see it jeopardized by anything."

"Me neither, Harvey," she agreed. "And don't you worry. We're still friends," she said, smiling at him.

He smiled back. "Well, good," he said, bending down to kiss her cheek. "Thank you for dinner, Pam. Goodnight."

She watched him leave with a look of longing, and then her expression changed to annoyance as she shut the door and turned around. "You can come out," she snapped. "I know you're here."

"How?" demanded Batman, stepping out from the shadows of the room.

"My plants told me we had an intruder," she retorted, folding her arms across her chest. "They're silent, and nobody ever notices them, which makes them more effective than guard dogs. Were you here to spy on Harvey and me?"

"I just wanted to hear what he had to say about Selina," snapped Batman.

She sighed, sitting back down at the table. "We're both unhappy about them, aren't we?"

"Of course we are," retorted Batman. "Selina shouldn't be dating a criminal. She's all wrong for him."

"Well, there's not much we can do about it," retorted Ivy glumly, head in her hands as she poured herself another drink. "They're both stubborn people who aren't afraid of being threatened, or even violently attacked. So I'm all outta ways to persuade them to break up. Even if it would be for their own good."

"I have bigger things to worry about, and better things to do with my time than engage in romantic intrigues," muttered Batman. "There's a whole city out there full of crime that I should be concentrating on."

"Fine, give up like that," snapped Ivy. "I don't need you or Harvey anyway. There are a million men in this city, and I can have any of them I want. No man can resist me."

Batman studied her. "I should really be taking you back to Arkham, but you don't seem to be in the mood for one of your eco-terrorist crusades."

"Wow, you really are the World's Greatest Detective, aren't you, Bats?" asked Ivy, sarcastically.

"So I'm going to give you your freedom for now," continued Batman, ignoring her. "Stay out of trouble."

"I think you're just hoping I'll get into the kind of trouble that breaks up Catwoman and Two-Face," she snapped. "And you really want that to happen, but you refuse to actively do anything about it. So instead you're gonna let me handle it, so you don't have to feel guilty. Well guess what, Bats? I'm not gonna be your stooge. I don't care what Harvey does, and I don't care what Selina does, and I don't care what you do. Just go back to doing it and get the hell outta my house."

Batman obeyed her, but despite her harsh words, Ivy almost called him back. "What the hell's the matter with me?" she muttered to herself.

But she knew what the matter with her was. She was lonely. It was a very basic human emotion, one of the many she had been born with and tried futilely to be rid of during her plant hybridization. And while her bond with plants helped her loneliness, they helped in the same way a cat might help a regular human. And even an army of cats couldn't entirely replace the need for another human being to share her life with. And while it was true that she could probably have any man she wanted, she had had lots of men, and they had all proved to be the same: unreliable, uncommitted, and ultimately unhelpful in relieving her loneliness.

She needed a change, she knew that. And if men couldn't fill up the void in her life, she knew the change would have to be more drastic than that. And then an idea came to her.

She stood up, heading out of her dining room and into the greenhouse attached to the house. Ivy used this room as a laboratory, creating new plant toxins to terrorize the people of Gotham with, and breeding new species of plants together to create new and beautiful varieties of flora.

She was going to breed something now – she was going to plant it and watch it grow into a beautiful, new flower. She began mixing some materials, and then beckoned a plant pod over to her. It opened itself obediently for her, and she placed the newly created seed inside it. "Keep it warm," she whispered, petting the pod as it closed itself around the seed. "Keep it safe. It's going to grow into the most beautiful flower in existence. My precious little baby. My precious little Rose."


	2. Chapter 2

"It's just the two of us tonight, Harley – you'll understand that Selina really isn't somebody I wanna see right now," said Poison Ivy, emerging from her kitchen with drinks.

"No problemo, Red – it's been too long since we had a girls night in together with just the two of us," said Harley Quinn, beaming. "Mr. J said to tell you that if you feel the urge to have a pillow fight, be sure to film it."

"Wow, what a funny guy," sighed Ivy, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, he is, Red," sighed Harley, dreamily. "He's just the handsomest, funniest, bestest guy in the whole wide world! Did I tell you what he did for me the other weekend? So he'd been ignoring me all week, and then on Saturday night he goes off on this big job without me, gets himself all bloodied up attacking a funfair, and brings me home…a red balloon!" she sighed. "Said he saw it and thought of me – an airhead dressed in red! Ain't he just the most romantic guy in the whole entire universe?"

Ivy felt like crying already, and the evening had only begun. But suddenly crying came from the greenhouse, and she stood up. "Excuse me for a second, Harley," she said.

"Oh…sure…no problem," stammered Harley, shocked at the noise. It sounded to her almost like a baby crying, but then she figured it must be one of Ivy's plants. They could sometimes make weird noises.

"Sorry about that," said Ivy, returning several minutes later.

"Everything ok in there?" asked Harley.

"Oh yeah, it's just…one of my plants," said Ivy, slowly.

"Sounds kinda like a baby," said Harley.

Ivy was about to respond when the crying started up again. She sighed, slightly annoyed, and then said, "I'll just bring her out and show you. Boy, I never thought kids could be this much of a handful! They just need constant attention! Never give you a moment to yourself!"

"Kids?" repeated Harley, puzzled. "You kidnapped a baby, Red? Never really thought of you as the motherly type – I always thought of the two of us, I'd be the one to go crazy and kidnap a kid. I mean, I can see myself doing it as a last, desperate resort if puddin' won't give me his…baby!" she gasped, as Ivy reappeared holding a tiny bundle in her arms, a tiny bundle that moved and gurgled happily.

Ivy sat down next to Harley and handed the bundle to her. "You wanna hold her?" she asked.

Harley was too surprised to say anything, but she took the baby tenderly in her arms. It gazed up at her with big, brown eyes, which looked almost hazel in contrast to her pale, green skin, and held up a chubby fist in greeting.

"Her name is Rose," said Ivy.

"Who…what…where did she come from?" whispered Harley.

"I grew her," replied Ivy.

"You…_grew_ her?" repeated Harley, tearing her eyes away from the baby to stare at Ivy.

"Yeah, it wasn't difficult," said Ivy, shrugging. "Just mixed some human genetic material with some plant DNA, and kept it in a warm pod to gestate for about a week. You know I'm…unable to have children the regular way since my transformation, so I figured this was the next best thing."

"So you…made her…by yourself in a lab?" asked Harley, slowly. "That don't sound very romantic, Red. I think one of the best things about kids is the knowledge that they're created by the love between you and the guy you love most in the whole wide world…"

"Well, beggars can't be choosers, Harl," snapped Ivy. "Anyway, I don't need a man. Not to be happy or to have kids. I do just fine on my own," she said, taking the baby back from Harley.

"I'm just kinda…confused," said Harley, slowly. "I mean, you can't make a baby without…stuff from both genders, right?"

"Yes, she was made by mixing human gametes with plant cells," snapped Ivy.

"So…where'd you get the sperm?" asked Harley.

Ivy was silent. "From a donor," she snapped.

"Who?" asked Harley.

Ivy said nothing, and Harley shrugged. "Just think he's probably got a right to know that he's a father. A kid needs two parents, y'know. And maybe he'll wanna take an interest in his child's life…"

"No!" snapped Ivy, suddenly furious. "No, it's nothing to do with him! He was just a donor of genetic material, and that's all! This is _my _child! And I'll take care of her on my own!"

"Ok! Geez, Red, no need to get all worked up," said Harley. "But then I guess new mothers do stress a lot."

She held out her arms. "Can I…hold her again?"

Ivy handed her back grudgingly. Harley beamed, cooing over the baby as it babbled up at her. "Hey, sweetie! You're so precious, yes, you are! Yes, you are! Auntie Harley loves you, yes, she does! She's so pretty, Red!" she said, happily. "She's got your features, that's for sure! And your hair too," she said, stroking the few red strands on the child's otherwise bald head. "Not your eyes though…"

"Yeah, well, I guess my genes can only do so much," said Ivy, shrugging. "I couldn't specify everything."

"You never can with kids!" said Harley, smiling. "It's the luck of the draw! Mine and Mr. J's are gonna be gorgeous, though, because he's so gorgeous. I bet they're gonna have his beautiful face and his beautiful eyes…"

The baby began crying again, and Ivy took her back, shushing her gently. "Rose doesn't like you talking about the clown either," she said. "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, as the saying goes."

"Oh. Well, I'm just super happy for you, Red!" said Harley, hugging her friend. "I know you said you didn't want kids, but I'm so glad you've changed your mind! Auntie Harley is gonna spoil her rotten! First thing tomorrow I'm gonna rob Baby Gap and get her a store full of baby clothes and toys and books…"

"No, I'll take care of all that," interrupted Ivy. "Don't get me wrong, Harl – I appreciate the offer. But Rose is gonna…be a special case. Don't buy her anything."

"Aw, but you didn't even have a baby shower, Red!" said Harley, frowning. "And she's so cute I just wanna get her the stars and the moon, yes, I do, yes, I do!" she cooed, nuzzling the baby's nose. "Your Auntie Harley is gonna make sure you have a smile on your face your whole entire life, yes, she is! Gee, ain't it gonna be amazing watching her grow up, Red?" she asked, smiling.

Ivy nodded slowly. "Yeah. But she's gonna grow up real fast."

"They always do, Red!" sighed Harley.

Ivy opened her mouth to explain to Harley, but then shut it and let her just coo over the baby in peace. Harley was clearly crazy about her, and it would be cruel to tell her now that Rose didn't have the normal life expectancy of a human being. Her cells were growing at an alarming rate, and they would deteriorate at the same rate once she matured. Ivy estimated that Rose would probably go from the cradle to the grave in about a year – that was likely to be the span of her life. It didn't bother Ivy in particular – most flowers had a similar life cycle, if not shorter, and right now Ivy saw Rose as a very dependent plant, much more so than the rest of her babies. They just needed food, sunlight, and the occasional watering, while Rose needed almost constant attention. Ivy couldn't wait the few weeks for Rose to grow older and be able to take care of herself.


	3. Chapter 3

It was a month and half before Harley saw her honorary niece again, and this was thanks to Batman foiling one of the Joker's schemes and taking both him and Harley back to Arkham. The moment they broke out, Harley dragged Joker over to Ivy's to meet Rose.

"She's just the cutest little baby – you'll love her!" babbled Harley as she knocked on the door, with Joker looking less than thrilled next to her. "She's so small and adorable, and she's got the prettiest eyes and the cutest, chubbiest, little green face…"

The door was opened by what appeared to be a very attractive teenage girl, with large, brown eyes and long, red hair framing a stunningly beautiful face with green skin. "Hi. May I help you?" she asked.

Harley stared at her open-mouthed. So did the Joker. "That ain't no baby, Harley," he murmured.

"R…Rose?" stammered Harley. "Is that you?"

"I'm Rose Ivy, yes," replied the girl. "Do I know you?"

"Uh…we met…once when you were…little," stammered Harley. "It's…Auntie Harley. And this is Uncle Joker!" she said, gesturing at him.

"How ya doing, beautiful?" asked Joker, putting on his most charming smile as he made sure his hair was slicked back. "Where's a gorgeous gal like you been all my life?"

"I suspect I wasn't alive for most of it," said Rose.

"Don't flirt with her, Mr. J!" snapped Harley, elbowing him hard in the ribs. "That's wrong on so many levels!"

"Rose? Who is it?" called Ivy from inside.

"Someone called Auntie Harley and Uncle Joker, Mother!" called back Rose.

"Oh, they're fine – let them in," said Ivy, coming over to the door. "Harley, where have you been? You missed most of Rose's childhood!"

"Yeah…well…I didn't realize…she'd grow up so fast," stammered Harley, staring at her in disbelief.

"I owe you an apology, Harl," chuckled Joker. "I wasn't looking forward to seeing some stupid baby, but this is the kinda eye candy Uncle Joker likes," he said, smiling at Rose and licking his lips.

"Don't think about my daughter like that, you perverted creep!" growled Ivy.

"Yeah, don't think about her daughter like that!" snapped Harley, furiously, slapping him across the face.

"Not that Rose would ever have anything to do with anyone like you," continued Ivy. "I've taught her that men, in particular clown-faced freaks, don't know how to treat a lady."

"Well, I sure know how to _win_ a lady!" chuckled Joker. "Drop your pants at the first interview! Worked with Harley!"

"Keep your pants on!" snapped Ivy. "There are some things I never want my daughter to see!"

"Hey, you can't preserve innocence forever," said Joker, shrugging. "And Daddy J likes 'em young. How old are ya, sweetheart?" he asked Rose. "Are you legal?"

"I've been alive for a month and a half," replied Rose.

"…nope. That ain't legal," said Joker, slowly. "And Daddy J doesn't like 'em _that _young. That's the Hat guy."

"Red, I don't understand!" said Harley, giving Joker a swift kick to the groin that made him gasp in pain. "How come she's grown up so fast?"

"It's the plant cells," said Ivy, stroking Rose's hair gently. "They make her mature at a much faster rate than normal human beings. Which is good for me, actually – babies aren't very interesting. But now Rose is old enough to be real company. She's a wonderful companion – smart and sweet and beautiful, aren't you, my pretty flower?" she cooed.

"Yes, Mother," agreed Rose. "And you are very kind to me, to teach me everything you know."

"I'm just teaching you how to be happy, petal," murmured Ivy. "I want you to be as happy as possible for as long as you can."

"Then will I get to meet other people, Mother?" she asked.

"Yes, flower, see?" said Ivy, gesturing at Joker and Harley. "These are people."

Rose looked at them skeptically. "These aren't…normal people, are they, Mother?"

"Normal for Gotham," replied Ivy, shrugging.

"And when will I be able to go outside and see Gotham?" asked Rose.

Ivy patted her head. "When you're a little older, petal. It's a big, scary place, and you're such a delicate, fragile little flower. You need to be protected."

"Yes, Mother," agreed Rose, slightly forlornly.

"Now why don't you go back to the kitchen and fetch our guests some drinks?" asked Ivy. "And some of those lovely fruit tarts you baked?"

"Wow, never thought I'd hear the statement 'go back to the kitchen,' outta the mouth of a dame like you, Pammie!" chuckled Joker as Rose left them. "Ain't keeping her chained up at home pretty un-feminist of you?"

"There's nothing un-feminist about learning life skills like cooking," snapped Ivy. "Harley might consider that."

"I can cook just fine!" snapped Harley.

"No, you really can't," retorted Joker. "Course if cooking is now feminist, I guess I don't really want you to learn, Harley. Once you start down that road, next thing you know it's castration for all men and grow-your-own-babies."

"Which, coincidentally, is what awaits you if you keep flirting with my daughter," said Ivy. "Believe me, I can teach Harley how to grow children."

"But you still needed a sperm donor, right, Red?" asked Harley. "I'd need Mr. J around just for that if nothing else. Though if he keeps being flirty with Rose, I might just collect his material, like you did for your guy, and then kill him."

"You…collected material?" asked Joker, looking at Ivy in disgust. "You mean after the guy…y'know…you saved it? Like in a jar?"

"I'm not giving you details about how I conceived my daughter!" snapped Ivy.

"Please don't," agreed Joker. "Jesus, I knew you were a sick dame, but I didn't know you were that sick! So who's the unlucky guy who's now stuck with a kid he didn't even have the pleasure of creating?"

"Nobody – it doesn't matter," snapped Ivy. "He wasn't actively involved in her creation, so there's no reason why he should be actively involved in her life. He doesn't even know she exists, and I'd like to keep it that way. Anyway, Rose won't even be around long enough for him to bother with her, so I don't see any reason why either of them should get attached."

"Why not?" asked Harley, confused. "Where's she going?"

Ivy sighed. "She's maturing very quickly, Harley, thanks to the plant cells. And like all flowers, she's going to bloom for a precious, brief time, and be the picture of beauty. And then she's going to…die."

Harley gaped at her. "Die?" she repeated. "When?"

"A little less than a year," said Ivy. "It's the circle of life. Most flowers die annually – that's how Mother Nature works. It's not a big deal, unless they're destroyed by violence. That's a crime. That's when I get angry – when my babies are slaughtered in their prime. But nothing like that is going to happen to Rose. I'm going to see that she has a beautiful, perfect life, however short it's going to be."

"But…but she ain't a flower, Red!" cried Harley. "She's a person! She's more…complex than a plant! She's got thoughts and feelings…"

"So do flowers," retorted Ivy. "But you don't seem to care about those when you pick them. There's no reason to get upset about Rose's life cycle – that's just nature's way. Although I admit it's always hard watching a rose wither, and it's going to be even harder this time…"

"She ain't a flower!" repeated Harley. "And there's nothing natural about her! You created her, and now you're just gonna let her die when the time comes?! I thought you loved her, Red!"

"I do, Harley," replied Ivy, quietly. "I love her too much to lie to her. Or to let her live for very long in a dark, cruel world of suffering."

"Mother is kind," said a voice from the doorway. "She has allowed me to learn all that is beautiful about the world, and soon she will let me experience all that is beautiful about the world. And she has made it so I leave the world before it destroys me. That's what happens to all flowers, isn't it, Mother?" asked Rose, setting down the tray and approaching her. "Their beauty decays, and then they die. Mother is going to save me from that, aren't you, Mother?"

"That's right, petal," whispered Ivy, kissing her forehead. "You will die in beauty. Your wilting will be short and painless, and then you will return to the warm earth in peace."

"But…but she's wrong, Rose!" cried Harley, "The world is a beautiful place, full of fun and joy and laughter! Yeah, maybe not all the time, but you gotta have the bad to appreciate the good! And look at me and Mr. J! Even in a dark world, you can still smile and be happy! There's no reason to just give up and die! You gotta fight!"

Rose studied her strangely. "I would not want to fight against my mother," she replied. "I love her. And she loves me, to protect me as she does. To protect me from all that is selfish and cruel and ugly about humanity…"

"Well, I did my best until J showed up," agreed Ivy.

Joker smiled at her, but said nothing. "Well, good luck to ya, kid," he said, holding out his hand to Rose. "You enjoy your life while it lasts."

Ivy intercepted Rose's hand, checking for Joker's joy buzzer. But his palm was empty as he held it out to her. Ivy nodded slowly, and Rose took Joker's hand. He shook it, and then raised it up to her face, so that half of it was covered. Then he laughed, dropping it.

"C'mon, Harl," he said, heading for the door. "We've got places to go and people to slay."

Harley nodded. "I'll be back before too long, Rose," she said, hugging her. "I wanna spend as much time with you as possible before…"

She trailed off, tears in her eyes, as she followed Joker out of Ivy's house. Harley glanced back once at Rose tenderly before she shut the door.

"It ain't fair, Mr. J!" Harley sobbed. "That poor kid! Nobody deserves to die that young! I can't imagine what she must be feeling, to know that she's gonna die within a year!"

"Hey, everyone dies," said Joker, shrugging. "Or so they tell me!" he chuckled. "No signs of it ever happening in my case, thanks to my fans in the reading public. The writers wouldn't dare kill me off for good – there'd be a riot!"

"What?" asked Harley, puzzled.

"Nothing, pooh," he said, patting her head. "Now dry those eyes – you know Daddy J likes his smiles! And I've got just the thing to cheer you up."

"What is it?" asked Harley, wiping her eyes.

"We're gonna go see Rose's father," said Joker, smiling to himself. "And tell him he's got a daughter."


	4. Chapter 4

"Harvey? Are you listening to me?" asked Selina Kyle.

Two-Face hadn't been listening – he had been plotting out his latest scheme, which, for Two-Face, took double the time it should have. And this was because he had to consult his coin for every decision he had to make about it. "Heads – bank robbery, tails – jewelry store," he muttered, flipping the coin. "Heads – hostages, tails – no hostages. Heads…"

"Harvey?" repeated Selina. "Did you hear what I said?"

"Uh…something about cats?" he asked, looking up at her.

She folded her arms across her chest, glaring at him. "That was a lucky guess!" she snapped. "I said I won't be here tonight – I'm out at the charity ball for the stray cat shelter."

"Uh huh," he said, returning his attention to his scheme.

"There'll be all kinds of rich society folk there," she continued. "All kinds of single men. Bruce Wayne, for instance…"

"Uh huh," he repeated, flipping his coin again. "Heads - take all valuables, tails – take half…"

"I'm hinting that maybe you'd like to escort me," she snapped. "You don't want me going on my own among a bunch of single men, do you?"

"Aw, I'd love to, Selina, but I got plans," he replied. "This scheme, y'know."

"Do it tomorrow night," she retorted.

Two-Face sighed. "Look, going to some snooty ball to mix with society snobs ain't my idea of a fun evening. Plus I'm pretty recognizable, and chances are the cops would be called and we'd have to make a hasty retreat anyway. You go if you wanna, but I'll pass, thanks."

"At least give me the coin," snapped Selina.

He sighed, flipping it. "Heads – I'll go with you, tails – I'm doing my scheme."

He opened his hand. "Tails," he said, closing his hand just as quickly.

"Let me see it," snapped Selina.

"You have to learn to trust me, Selina," he retorted, pocketing the coin.

She sighed, rolling her eyes. "Fine, I'll go on my own," she snapped, striding off.

A knock came on the door. "Can you get that, baby?" he asked, not looking up. "Only I'm kinda busy here."

Selina glared at him, and then stormed to the front door. She opened it, and then fell back as two party horns blew into her face.

"Surprise!" shouted Joker, beaming. "And congratulations, Harv…"

His face fell. "You're not Harvey," he snapped. "Where's the lucky guy?" he asked, pushing past her into the house. Harley skipped behind him, carrying several pink balloons and a giant stuffed teddy bear holding a sign that read _Congratulations! It's a girl!_

"J, what the hell are you doing?" demanded Selina. "What is all this?"

"There's the old man!" exclaimed Joker, smiling as he entered Two-Face's study. "Well, how does it feel to be the father to a teenager? She giving you gray hairs yet? I think I can see a few," he chuckled, reaching out to touch Two-Face's hair.

"Get the hell off me!" snapped Two-Face, shoving him away. "And what in God's name are you babbling about?"

"Congratulations, Harvey!" exclaimed Harley, handing him the teddy bear and the balloons. "She is just gorgeous! You must be so proud! Not that you really did anything except leave your sperm lying around…or something. Red said she didn't wanna talk about how she got ahold of it…"

"What…the hell are you talking about?!" roared Two-Face.

"I also got you some cigars, because that's what you give new fathers," continued Joker, reaching into his jacket. "Not sure if these explode, but there's only one way to find out…"

Two-Face grabbed Joker by the collar and lifted him up. "Listen to me, clown!" he hissed. "Stop making stupid jokes and tell me what the hell you're talking about! I ain't a father, so it ain't funny!"

Joker grinned. "Oh, but you are, Harvey!" he exclaimed. "Pammie's grown you a daughter!"

Two-Face stared at him in disbelief. "What?" he gasped.

"She's grown a daughter," repeated Joker. "Using plant cells, her genetic material, and…an anonymous male donor she won't name. But I know she's your kid – she's got your eyes. Or at least, one of your eyes – I'm guessing your other eye looked the same before your accident. She's got the brown one, not the weird bulgy one, just to confirm…"

"If this is a joke, it ain't funny, J!" shouted Two-Face, slamming him against the wall.

"It's no joke, Harvey!" said Joker, defensively. "Tell him, Harl!"

"Yeah, it's true, Harvey," agreed Harley. "I didn't realize it until Mr. J mentioned it, but she really resembles you. I mean, she takes after her mother mostly, but those eyes are definitely yours. She started out as a little baby about a month ago, but she's already grown into a teenager, and Red says she's gonna go through her whole lifespan in one year, which I think is pretty tragic, really…"

"She…she used my…essence to…create a child and…she didn't consult me?" stammered Two-Face.

"I know, dames, right?" sighed Joker, shaking his head. "They're always trying to pull one over on you. I blame the feminists – the moment women get a little power, they start doing all kindsa crazy things: voting, working, growing babies…"

"Oh, shut up, you sexist creep!" snapped Selina. "Harvey, you shouldn't trust these clowns – Ivy may be crazy, but she's not _that _crazy. And she's never given any indication of wanting children before. They've probably made the whole thing up for some stupid joke, and even if they haven't, there's no proof that this child Ivy's grown has anything to do with you."

"I…I gotta find out," stammered Two-Face. "I gotta see her, and Pam, and demand to know the truth!"

"Fine, if you don't trust us," sighed Joker, in mock offense. "You go over there and see for yourself. I think you'll be pretty pleased with your daughter though – she's just the hottest little piece. I would not mind sticking my slide whistle into her a couple times, if you get what I'm saying."

"…what the hell is wrong with you?!" shouted Two-Face. "That's my potential daughter you're talking about, you sleazeball!"

"Yeah, it's a compliment! I'm telling you she's hot!" protested Joker. "It means you got attractive genes – congrats! No point in a dame if she's not attractive…"

Both Harley's and Selina's punches were simultaneous, but at different, sensitive points of Joker's body. "Christ, can't either of you take a joke?" he gasped, cupping his nose with one hand and his crotch with the other.

"You keep acting like this, Mr. J, and I'm gonna let Red teach me how to grow babies, I swear to God!" hissed Harley.

"Yeah, you see how well you cope with that shortened lifespan, toots!" snapped Joker. "It's only been a month and a half, and Harvey's already missed out on his kid's entire childhood! The only fatherly thing he can do now is scare away her boyfriends, assuming Pammie's gonna let her out of the house ever so she can have one of those, which I doubt. I tell ya, I feel bad for that kid. Less than a year to live, and not making the most of it. She should be out there having fun, not cooped up inside like a greenhouse flower! Although I guess that's kinda what she is, and what she's used to, but still, the human parts of her must yearn for some kinda excitement! The noble thing to do would be to go over there and assert your right for custody of that kid. Take her away from her suffocating mother and give her the freedom she deserves."

"Mr. J, you know as well as I do that the best thing would be for Harvey to go over there and have a calm, rational discussion with Red about co-parenting," began Harley. "After all, she ain't gonna respond well to violence and threats, and both parents are ultimately responsible for a child…"

"Both of you shut up!" roared Two-Face, flipping his coin. "Heads – I go over there and tell Pammie exactly what I think about what she's done, tails – I try to calm down and have a rational discussion with her."

The coin landed. "Heads," he snapped, closing his hand.

"Can I see it?" asked Selina.

"No!" he shouted, storming from the room. "You have to trust me!"

The front door slammed. "Well, at least he's starting to shape the coin's outcomes to what he wants to do, rather than vice versa," sighed Selina. "That's progress, right?"

"Only you would consider lying to be progress in a relationship, kitty!" chuckled Joker. "Guess it reminds you of Batsy, huh? Guys hiding things from you, not being truthful, wearing masks…"

"Yeah, unlike some people here, I'm not actually still in love with Batman," snapped Selina. "I don't base my entire life around him, and I'm not obsessed by the very idea of him. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to get ready for my ball with Bruce Wayne."

"I'm kinda afraid Harvey's gonna blow this whole thing, Mr. J," sighed Harley as they left. "I mean, he's got a real temper on him, and you made it sound like Red's abusing the girl or something. Wouldn't it have been better to have calmly explained the situation so he'd be prepared to discuss it rationally with Red?"

"Not for me, Harley girl!" chuckled Joker. "Not for me!"


	5. Chapter 5

"Rose, you are such a talented young lady," said Ivy, as Rose brought out the roast she had prepared for dinner. "I'm so impressed by how much you've learned and how well you've put the skills you've learned to good use."

"Well, I aim to please you, Mother," said Rose. "And I also hope that…if I learn what I'm supposed to…that you might let me out to see the world a little."

Ivy was silent. "Rose, please understand that I'm only keeping you here to protect you," she said. "The world's a big, scary, dangerous place, and you're so young. There are things I can't teach you or prepare you for out there, and I just want to make sure you're ready to face them."

"How will you know, Mother?" she asked.

"I'll know," said Ivy, patting her cheek. "You have to trust me, flower."

"I do trust you, Mother," said Rose, sitting down next to her. They ate in silence for a few moments.

"Mother…those people who visited today…" began Rose, slowly. "They were different from us, weren't they? They looked different."

"Yeah, they look like clowns," agreed Ivy. "Harley's is makeup, but J looks like that naturally. But we're different from a lot of people, petal. That's what makes us special."

"I don't just mean that their skin was different, or they dressed different," continued Rose. "I mean…one of the clowns was…different to us."

Ivy thought for a moment. "Oh! Yeah, J's a man," she said, realizing it suddenly. "Or so he claims," she added, sarcastically.

"Man," repeated Rose, the term strange to her. "And why do they exist?"

"Oh, sweetie, that's a question women have asked themselves for generations," sighed Ivy. "God only knows."

"Could you have grown someone like that, instead of me?" asked Rose. "Could you have grown a man?"

"I'm sure I could have," agreed Ivy. "But from my experience with men, I really didn't want to."

"Are they bad, Mother?" she asked.

Ivy sighed. "No, Rose," she murmured. "No, nobody is inherently bad. But often men aren't…taught to treat women like us…the way we should be treated. Often they just want to use us…the way bees use flowers. They fly from flower to flower, taking what they want from them, and then leaving them alone."

"But that's just the bees' nature, Mother," said Rose. "There's no ill will in it."

"Well, people are more…complicated than bees," said Ivy. "And sometimes there is ill will. On both sides."

She sighed, stroking Rose's hair again. "You see, there's so much out there that I can't explain, and can't prepare you for. And I just don't want to see you hurt, my precious flower."

"Have you been hurt, Mother?" she asked.

Ivy nodded. "Yes. Very deeply, petal."

"Then I must be too," she said. "I want to be just like you, Mother. And the only way you know so much is because you've experienced so much. Good or bad…I want to live my life. While I still can."

Ivy gazed at her tenderly and was about to say something when a loud banging sounded on the front door. "Pammie! You open up right now!"

Ivy sighed, standing up. "Excuse me, flower," she said. "You stay right here while I get rid of this particular unwanted man."

She opened the door to Two-Face looking absolutely livid. "What is it, Harvey?" she snapped.

"Is it true?" he demanded.

"Is what true?" she asked.

"I just had a visit from J and Harley – is what they told me true?!" he roared.

"How the hell am I supposed to know what they told you…" began Ivy, but Two-Face seized her by the shoulders.

"How dare you not consult me before you make a child from my genes?! And how dare you not tell me?! You had no right to play God like this, you little tramp!"

"It's none of your business what I do, Harvey!" she snapped, shoving herself away from him.

"It is if that kid has a part of me in them!" he shouted. "You didn't even think I had the right to know?! Do you think creating another life is a game, you stupid…"

"Mother?" came Rose's voice. "I heard shouting. What's going on?"

Two-Face looked up at her, his jaw dropping shock. "Oh my God," he gasped, shoving past Ivy and seizing Rose's hands, touching her cheek as he studied her face. "Oh…my God!"

"Mother? Who is this?" asked Rose, frightened.

"Nobody, Rose," said Ivy, firmly.

"Tell her the truth, Pam!" shouted Two-Face.

Ivy sighed loudly. "This man…is your father, Rose."

Rose stared at Two-Face. "My…father?" she repeated. "But you said…"

"I said I grew you single-handedly, and so I did," said Ivy, nodding. "But I used…genetic material from Harvey to create you. So in the sense that his seed gave you life, he's your father."

"Could have been a much more involved father earlier if your mother had told me you existed," snapped Two-Face. "But…I guess what's important is that I know now. And…wow…just look at you," he said, smiling at her. "J said in a really sleazy way that you were beautiful, and I'm gonna punch him next time I see him. But he wasn't joking."

"Thank…thank you," stammered Rose. "Although Mother has told me that there are more important things for women to be than beautiful."

"Yeah, she's right about that," agreed Two-Face. "Guess she's…done an ok job raising you…on her own. But she should have told me…"

"What difference would it have made?" demanded Ivy. "Did you want a child to take care of?"

"No!" retorted Two-Face. "But I have one now, don't I? And I can't just ignore that! I wanna…take responsibility for her and…be a good father."

"What…happened to your face?" asked Rose, slowly.

"Oh, that," said Two-Face. "That was an accident a long time ago - hope it doesn't freak you out."

"No…no, it doesn't, Father," said Rose.

Two-Face smiled. "Wow, that's a strange thing to hear, huh?" he asked, glancing at Ivy. "How long did it take you to get used to her calling you Mother?"

"Not very long," retorted Ivy. "But then I did choose to be her mother."

Two-Face studied her, and then turned back to Rose. "Uh…Rose…can you give your mother and me a moment alone, please?"

Rose nodded, heading for the door. "Is me being involved in Rose's life going to be a problem for you, Pammie?" he asked, when the door shut.

"A problem for _me_?" repeated Ivy. "No, not at all. I'm just not sure how pleased Selina is going to be about it…"

"Well, we're not married or anything," said Two-Face. "She doesn't have to have anything to do with Rose if she doesn't want to. But she's certainly not going to stop me spending time with my daughter."

"You know her better than I do, Harvey, of course," said Ivy, forcing a smile. "Anyway, Rose and I were just finishing up dinner, so if you could return some other time…"

"That's fine – I'll join you," he said, heading for the dining room.

Ivy sighed, following him. Truthfully, she _did_ resent Two-Face's intrusion into her and Rose's life – Ivy believed she knew how best to raise Rose, and exposing her to Two-Face's criminal lifestyle was not in her list of plans. Plus as she entered the dining room, she heard him already trying to undermine her parenting skills.

"…let me take you out after dinner. Anywhere you want."

"Really? Anywhere?" asked Rose, half-excited and half-shocked. "Mother, can he really?"

Ivy forced another smile. "Of course, flower. As long as he stays with you every second, of course."

"I have been reading about something called an…ice cream parlor?" said Rose. "I have never had ice cream, but I hear it tastes good."

"It tastes great," agreed Two-Face. "And how about I take you to the mall afterward to do some shopping? Get you some nice, new clothes."

"You mean…clothes I would pick out myself?" asked Rose, surprised. "Can I do that, Mother?"

"If you want to, petal," she agreed. "Your father certainly seems intent on spoiling you rotten."

"Well, I wanna make up for lost time," he agreed. "Plus…J said something about her having…a shortened life span?"

"Yes, there's no need to be squeamish about it," said Ivy. "It's perfectly natural in flowers."

"Means we gotta make every second count, though," said Two-Face. "You shouldn't waste a moment of your life, Rose. You gotta get out there and see the world."

"Can I, please, Mother?" asked Rose, excitedly.

Ivy sighed again. "As long as your father promises not to take his eyes off you," she snapped. "And promises not to do anything illegal."

"Why would he, Mother?" asked Rose, puzzled.

"I just want him to promise, just in case," said Ivy. "I don't want Rose having to deal with police, or a certain Bat-person."

"Pammie, I wouldn't dream of putting her in danger," said Two-Face, defensively. "What kinda terrible father do you think I am? C'mon, let's go, Rose."

"Harvey, I mean it," snapped Ivy. "Don't let her out of your sight for a second."

Two-Face headed for his car, but realized that Rose wasn't following him. She was standing on threshold of the door, looking scared. "What is it, Rose?" he asked.

"I've just…never been outside before," she whispered. "I want to savor the moment."

She took a deep breath, and then tentatively placed a foot out the door. This was quickly followed by the other foot, and then a sigh of relief as she looked around, breathing in the fresh air.

"Wow, it's so beautiful!" she whispered.

"Yeah, I guess even a dump like Gotham can seem beautiful occasionally," agreed Two-Face.

"Well, yeah," she agreed. "There's a whole city lit up out there, windows twinkling like stars, and each light shining through rooms full of possibilities and people. People living, loving, just going about their daily lives – what could be more beautiful than that?"

Two-Face smiled at her. "Yeah, Pammie did a good job raising you," he said, hugging her gently. "Now c'mon, Princess. Your carriage awaits," he said, opening the car door for her.

She smiled. "Now that's something that I've read about that I've always wanted to go to," she said, climbing inside. "A ball."

Two-Face smiled again. "Well, I think I can grant that wish, Princess," he said. "Just let me find out where that charity ball is…"


	6. Chapter 6

"And how are you doing, Bruce?" asked Selina Kyle, smiling at Bruce Wayne over the rim of her glass. "How's your little…hobby?"

"Fine, Selina," he replied, smiling back. "How's Harvey?"

"Oh, he's fine," she said. "That's right, I forgot you used to be best friends before his accident. That had completely slipped my mind when I got together with him."

"Somehow, I don't think it did," retorted Bruce.

"And you still take an interest in him, don't you?" she continued. "I mean, in your professional capacity."

Bruce's smile looked even more forced. Some days he regretted letting Selina in on the secret that he was Batman. "Yes, I do," he agreed.

"Well, you're in luck," she said. "Harvey's just called, and he's on his way here, with some guest of his. But if I were you, I'd keep the cape and tights off tonight. No need to spoil the evening."

"There's no reason to spoil the evening if he keeps his behavior non-criminal," said Bruce. "Who's the guest?"

"I think we'll find out together shortly," replied Selina.

The door opened at that moment, and all eyes in the room immediately fixated on the figure standing in the doorway. The room fell silent, and even Bruce's jaw dropped, as he gazed upon the most beautiful young woman he had ever seen in his life.

She was slim and pretty, with pale green skin, long red hair, and a stunning red dress that accentuated her perfect figure. She was holding Two-Face's arm as he strode into the room, looking very proud.

"Bruce! Selina!" he said, smiling as they came over to him. "Allow me to introduce my daughter. This is Rose."

"Your…daughter?" stammered Bruce.

"Oh, is this the girl Ivy grew from her and your genetic material and some plants?" asked Selina, her own smile looking forced as she glared at Rose. "It's been proven as your genetic material, has it?"

"I think Rose's resemblance to me is pretty obvious, Selina," said Two-Face.

"Well, yes, she's a very attractive young lady, isn't she?" asked Selina, keeping her forced smile.

"Thank you," said Rose, smiling genuinely back at her. "It's so nice to meet you, Selina. Father has said some wonderful things about you."

"And this is my friend, Bruce Wayne," said Two-Face, gesturing to him. "The oldest and best friend I've got, isn't that right, Bruce?"

"That's…right," stammered Bruce. "It's such a pleasure to meet you, Miss Dent."

"Oh, it's Miss Ivy," replied Rose. "But you can call me Rose, Mr. Wayne. Any friend of my father is a friend of mine."

"Oh please, it's Bruce," he said, bowing and kissing her hand. "Uh…would you like to dance, Rose?" he asked.

"Do you know how to dance, Rose?" asked Two-Face.

She nodded. "Mother taught me," she replied. "I asked to learn in case I went to a ball one day. I never thought it would be so soon. I'm such a lucky girl," she said, taking Bruce's hand as he led her onto the dance floor.

"Well, isn't she a sweet little rosebud?" muttered Selina, clearly jealous as she glared at the couple on the dance floor.

"She is," agreed Two-Face. "Just adorable. So sincere and sweet and kind…"

"You wouldn't know Ivy had raised her," agreed Selina.

"Bruce looks quite taken with her," said Two-Face, helping himself to a drink.

"Does he?" muttered Selina. "Well, you're not going to allow that, are you?"

"Why wouldn't I?" he asked. "Bruce is my best friend, and he's a great guy."

"Well, first of all, because she's terminal," retorted Selina. "That's putting aside all other concerns you might have about age difference and nocturnal habits…"

"Nocturnal habits?" repeated Two-Face. "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing," she said, hastily. "But you haven't forgotten that she's only got so long to live, have you, Harvey?"

"Of course I haven't," he said. "But that doesn't take away her right to fall in love. That's one of the best things life can offer, and she deserves to experience that."

"But is it fair on Bruce, if he gets really attached?" asked Selina. "It'll break his heart."

"Yeah, you've always been concerned about breaking guys' hearts, haven't you, Selina?" he asked. "I know you've broken a few for fun in your time. Probably Bruce's among them. Anyway, don't worry – I'll tell him about Rose as soon as possible, before he can get too attached."

Bruce was well aware that he was dancing with the daughter of two of Batman's most persistent enemies, but he didn't seem to care right now. Rose was a natural dancer, and chatted to him throughout the dance about how incredible it was to be among people, about how beautiful the room and the other dancers looked, and about how happy she was to finally meet people at last.

"Mother wanted me to wait before I saw these things, but Father insisted that I'm old enough now," she said.

"Oh…well…how old are you?" he asked.

"I have been alive a month and a half," she replied. "But I have a quicker than average growth rate."

"I can see that," said Bruce.

"It has its advantages," agreed Rose. "And its disadvantages, of course."

"What would those be?" asked Bruce.

"Oh, I'll be dead by winter," she said, with a smile.

Bruce stared at her, stopping in the middle of their dance. "What?" he stammered.

"I'll be dead by winter," she repeated, casually. "Like all flowers, my lifespan is short. But I'm not complaining about that. Just getting to experience life like this is so wonderful. Nobody could ask for anything more. The world's a big, bright, beautiful place, don't you think so, Bruce?"

"Uh…I suppose so," he said. The dance finished, and he led her back over to where Two-Face and Selina were standing by the drinks table.

"Harvey, can I have a word?" asked Bruce, beckoning him to a corner. "Rose says she's going to be dead by winter. Is that true?"

"Yeah, her plant cells shorten her lifespan," said Two-Face, nodding. "It wasn't my idea, Bruce, believe me. It's all Pammie's doing. She can't see anything morbid or upsetting in the idea of Rose only living a year – she says flowers do it all the time. She has a hard time telling the difference between plants and humans, believe me," he muttered, taking a drink.

"But…that's awful," stammered Bruce. "Can't you do something to change it?"

Two-Face shrugged. "I'm no scientist, and if Pammie can't change it, I doubt anyone can. Anyway, Rose seems happy enough. If we don't make out that her dying is the worst thing in the world, then I'm sure she won't see it that way. Pammie's instilled in her a kind of acceptance about it."

"That's…good, I guess," said Bruce, slowly. "I just have…this thing about death. Since my parents, y'know."

"Yeah, I know," said Two-Face, gently. "I'm sorry, Bruce. Hey, you should talk to Batman sometime!" he said, smiling at him. "He's got the same idea! Except he's a caped freak who goes around beating up people and thinking he's making a difference, while you're smart enough to just live the luxurious playboy lifestyle and not worry about things you can't change. Maybe you could talk some sense into him while you're at it."

"Oh, I doubt it, Harvey," said Bruce, forcing a smile. "Excuse me."

He headed back over to chat to Rose, who was gazing around the ballroom in awe.

"It's just the most beautiful place I've ever seen!" she said, smiling at Bruce. "Do you see places like this often?"

"Er…yes," said Bruce. "Yes, I attend a lot of society functions. And I even host some."

"Really? So you live in a place like this?" she asked, gesturing around at the spacious room.

"I live in a mansion," agreed Bruce.

"That must be wonderful! I bet you wake up every day feeling happy!" said Rose, smiling.

"Uh…no, not really," said Bruce.

"Why is that?" she asked. "I think I would, if I had a beautiful place to dance in whenever I wanted."

"Well, my…parents are dead," he said, slowly. "So that's sad."

She stared at him blankly. "I don't see why," she said. "Death is the natural order of things."

"Yes, but…they were murdered," he said, slowly. "In front of my eyes, when I was a boy."

Rose's gaze turned to pity. "I'm so sorry," she murmured, taking his hand. "Mother says there is nothing more dreadful than violence. I am fortunate not to ever have experienced such things."

"Your…Mother said that?" asked Bruce, slowly.

"Yes. I trust her – she is a very wise women," said Rose. "Taught me everything I know. And she's so loving and kind."

"She is, Rose," agreed Two-Face. "She just…doesn't always let people see that."

Bruce had reached a decision. "Could I invite you all to dinner sometime?" he asked Rose, Two-Face, and Selina. "And your mother, if she wants to come, Rose, of course."

"Oh, I'd love that!" exclaimed Rose, beaming. "And I'd get to see your mansion! Can we, Father, please?" she asked, turning to him with pleading eyes.

"Anything you want, Rose," said Two-Face, smiling fondly at his daughter.

She threw herself into her father's arm, kissing his scarred cheek. "Oh, thank you, Father!" she cried. "I can't wait to tell Mother!"

"Yeah…why don't you keep it our little secret for now?" asked Two-Face. "I'll tell her. It'll be a nice surprise on the night."

"All right, Father," she agreed. "I just know she'll be as happy as I am!"

"Are you sure that's wise, Bruce?" asked Selina, casually. "Inviting us all around to your house? What if…one of us stumbled upon something you didn't want us to see?"

"I don't have any secrets, Selina," replied Bruce, giving her a warning look. "And if I did, I'd be smart enough to keep them locked up."

Selina glared at all of them. "Harvey, I think I'll be going home," she said, loudly. "I have a headache."

"Ok, I'll see you there," he said, not turning around.

"You don't want to take me home?" she demanded.

"Well, I'm not going to leave Rose," he said. "And she's only just arrived, so I'm staying until she's ready to go. You're a free woman, Selina – you can do what you like."

"Funny, I thought I was your girlfriend," she growled, heading for the door. "If that little weed doesn't leave Bruce alone, I might just have to tell Harvey about his friend's secret identity. For Rose's sake, of course," she added, smiling to herself. "It wouldn't do for Two-Face's daughter to be dating Baman."


	7. Chapter 7

"I can't believe you didn't tell me, Harvey!" shrieked Ivy as she shifted angrily through her wardrobe. "You should have consulted me before you accepted any dinner invitations for our daughter!"

"Consider it payback for not telling me about Rose," he retorted, his arms folded across his chest.

She glared at him but said nothing. "I'm not sure I want Rose associating with Bruce Wayne anyway," she muttered. "I know he's your friend, Harvey, but he's also got a reputation for being a shameless womanizer…"

"That's a façade he puts up," agreed Two-Face. "But as long as I've known him, he's always been a lot more substantial than that. Anyway, he's a good man at heart – I know that."

"You know he's an ex of Selina's, right?" demanded Ivy.

"Yeah. So?" he asked, shrugging. "If Selina's ok with dating me, her friend's ex, she should be ok with our daughter dating her ex…"

"I don't want Rose dating anyone!" interrupted Ivy. "She's too young for that!"

"Well, considering she's not gonna live a year, I'd say she should probably strike while the iron's hot!" snapped Two-Face. "C'mon, Pammie, you should let her fall in love if she can."

"Should I?" demanded Ivy. "Love for me has always ended in heartbreak and disappointment. I don't want Rose to have to suffer that, and she will! Even if they love each other…she's going to have to leave. And that will hurt her more than he can. _I _will have hurt her…"

She sat down, burying her face in her hands. "Flowers are so much easier to protect – they can't fall in love," she muttered. "They have no hearts to break. They're content to stay in the warm earth and not wander away. I should have stuck to growing those, and not a daughter. You're right, Harvey – I shouldn't have played God like this. Or at least waited until I could create a child that would live a reasonable time…"

"Hey," said Two-Face, sitting down next to her and taking her shoulders. "What's done is done. And I love Rose. She's brought a lot of joy into my life, and I hope…we've done the same for her. That's all we can do, right? Just let her be as happy as possible while she can. And you should have seen her face when Bruce invited her to dinner. It was glowing. I didn't need the coin to accept his invitation, not when I got a signal like that."

Ivy smiled at him. "She's a wonderful girl, isn't she?" she asked.

"Yeah," he agreed. "I don't regret what you did, Pammie. And you shouldn't either. Rose is just happy to live. We should be happy about that too, no matter how short her life is."

A knock sounded on the door. "That might be Selina – she was going to meet us here so we can drive to Wayne Manor together," said Two-Face, heading for the front door.

He opened it, and both his faces fell. "What are you two doing here?" he demanded.

"Stopped by to have a fun games evening with my best friend and my niece!" exclaimed Harley Quinn, beaming at him. "I brought Twister!" she said, holding up the game.

"And I'm here to watch the ladies playing Twister," said the Joker, smiling. "I'm sure you'll wanna stay for that, Harvey, being a red-blooded male."

"Nobody's playing Twister!" snapped Two-Face. "We're going on a family outing!"

"Oh? Where to?" asked Joker. "We'll come with."

"You weren't invited," growled Two-Face.

"Why not? We're Rose's family," said Harley, hurt.

"Yeah, and the more the merrier, that's my motto, Harvey," said Joker.

"It's not my motto!" he snapped. "Now beat it!" he said, slamming the door in their faces.

"That wasn't Selina?" asked Ivy as he returned to her room, where she had changed into a long, green evening gown.

"No, the clowns," he growled. "I told them to beat it."

"That's for the best," agreed Ivy. "I wouldn't have minded having Harley along, but J ruins everything."

"Mother? How do I look?" asked Rose.

They turned around to see her standing in the doorway, looking absolutely stunning in a dark blue dress. "I always forget how beautiful you are, Princess, until I see you again," said Two-Face, hugging her and kissing her forehead gently. "Just like your mother, actually."

Ivy smiled at him. "You look gorgeous, Rose," she said. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yes, I don't want to keep Bruce waiting," she said. "He's such a nice man to invite us all to dinner like this."

Two-Face's phone rang and he answered it while Ivy cooed over Rose's appearance. She heard a knock on the window and looked up to see the Joker waving at her, smiling.

"Uncle Joker!" said Rose, hurrying over to the window and opening it before Ivy could protest.

"Hi, kiddo!" he said, climbing into the room. "Don't you just look good enough to eat!"

"Mr. J, I warned you…" growled Harley, whom Joker had been standing on to reach the window, and who now followed him inside.

"Where are you heading off to, dressed so nice?" he continued, ignoring her.

"Oh, Bruce Wayne has invited me and my family to his mansion for dinner," said Rose.

"Oh, has he? Well, that's just swell!" said Joker, smiling. "Well, your Auntie Harley and I were hoping to spend the evening with you, but we'll just go all the way back home now, since you have plans, and spend the evening alone eating cheap Chinese takeaway while you all enjoy champagne and caviar at Wayne Manor…"

"Oh no, Uncle Joker, I'm sure you can come with us," said Rose, sincerely. "Bruce is such a nice, generous man – I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

"Now Rose, it's very rude just to invite people along to things other people are hosting," said Ivy, forcing a smile.

"But surely it's even more rude to send them back home when they've come all the way here to spend an evening with us," said Rose, frowning. "I would feel just awful about that."

"Yeah, at least your daughter has manners, Pammie!" snapped Joker. "And like I said to Harvey, the more the merrier, right?"

"Please, Mother, say they can come!" said Rose, pleadingly.

Ivy was incapable of refusing her daughter anything. "All right," she sighed. "But don't blame me when this whole evening turns out to be a disaster," she muttered, heading over to fix her hair.

"Selina's already there," said Two-Face, hanging up his phone. "She wanted to drive over on her own, for some reason. Shall we get going?"

"I call shotgun!" said Joker, raising his hand.

"You're not coming!" snapped Two-Face.

"Oh, please, Father," said Rose. "I'm sure Auntie Harley and Uncle Joker will be as excited to see Wayne Manor as I am!"

"Pammie, tell her no," said Two-Face.

"You tell her no," she retorted. "I can't, or I never would have allowed you to take her outside in the first place."

Two-Face looked from his daughter to the clowns, and then sighed. "Get in the car," he muttered. "And I hope Bruce doesn't kill me for this."

"C'mon, sweetie, come sit next to your Auntie Harley," said Harley, leading Rose outside. Two-Face offered Ivy his arm.

"You look beautiful, by the way," he said.

"Yeah, you've said," she replied.

"Have I? Oh. Well, it's still true," he said, looking embarrassed.

"Thank you. You don't look bad yourself," said Ivy. "It's no surprise that our daughter's so gorgeous, when she's got beauty on both sides."

"Yeah, thank God my half-face wasn't hereditary!" he laughed.

"I like your half-face," she replied, running her finger down the bad side. "There's something really attractive about a man who isn't afraid to hide the bad parts of himself. It's honest, and I like honesty in a man."

She was gazing up at him and he stared down at her. Their lips almost involuntarily drew toward each other, but Ivy regained her senses before they met. She cleared her throat.

"Shall we?" she asked, gesturing toward the door. And they left together in silence.


	8. Chapter 8

"Miss Kyle is here, sir," said Alfred, appearing on the stairs in the Batcave.

"Tell her I'm a little busy at present," retorted Bruce, not turning around. "And anyway, she's early."

"I wanted to talk to you privately before the others got here," said Selina, appearing behind Alfred. "To ask you if you've gone crazy."

Bruce sighed, turning around to face her. "Thank you, Alfred – please go check on dinner."

"_Have_ you gone crazy?" repeated Selina, as Alfred bowed and left. "Inviting lunatics over to your house for dinner, when there's a chance, however remote, that they could stumble upon this place?"

"No, Selina, I haven't gone crazy," he snapped, returning to his work at the laboratory table. "I wanted Rose to be here so I could easily get a sample of her blood for analysis purposes. And I knew she wouldn't be allowed to come unless her parents were with her."

"Why would you want to analyze her blood?" asked Selina.

"So I can save her," retorted Bruce. "So she doesn't have to die come winter."

"Why would you care?" asked Selina.

He turned to look at her again. "I always care about saving lives, Selina," he muttered.

"No, you care about saving _human_ lives," retorted Selina. "There's a big difference between those and Rose. She's not a human. She's a plant hybrid. Basically a monster."

Bruce laughed without humor. "That girl is not a monster, Selina. And she's been a great influence on Ivy and Two-Face – neither of them has committed a crime since she came along. I want her to be a distraction for them for as long as possible."

Selina was silent. "That's all she is?" she asked, lightly. "A distraction for them?"

"What are you implying?" he asked.

"Well, you did seem quite taken with her at the ball," said Selina, pointedly.

"So what if I was?" he asked. "There can't be anything between her and me, Selina, even if she wasn't going to die. She's the daughter of two of my enemies. You think I could ever tell her the truth about Batman?"

"You told me," she replied, shrugging. "And I'm friends with a lot of your enemies. And I'm dating one now."

He turned to look at her. "I knew you well enough to trust you before I told you. I still trust you, Selina. I hope I haven't misplaced that trust."

He turned his back to her. "You'd better get upstairs before your boyfriend arrives."

Selina glared at him and stormed upstairs, slamming shut the clock that was the entrance to the Batcave. She heard the doorbell at that moment and followed Alfred to the front door. He opened it and her rage grew when she saw Two-Face and Poison Ivy on either side of their daughter, holding her hands. They looked like a perfect, happy family together.

"Harvey," Selina said, forcing a smile as she came forward to kiss him. She noticed Ivy glaring at her jealously and made the kiss last.

"Where's my kiss, kitty?" giggled a familiar voice, and Selina drew away with a scowl.

"You brought the clowns?" she demanded of Two-Face.

"Rose insisted," he said. "What was I supposed to do?"

"Tell her no," retorted Selina. "Children need discipline as much as they need affection, Harvey."

"I can tell you've never been a mother, Selina," said Ivy, with a forced smile.

"No. But I've known a lotta little spoiled brats in my time," retorted Selina.

Rose was the only one who didn't seem to notice the hostility in her tone, and just smiled and hugged her. "Good to see you again, Auntie Selina."

"Don't call me that!" she snapped. "I'm not Ivy's sister."

"Well, neither am I, technically, but I like being called Auntie Harley," said Harley. "It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside."

"It makes me feel like a dowdy spinster," growled Selina.

"Well, how appropriate!" giggled Joker. "That's what comes to mind every time I see you, cat lady!"

"Harvey, good to see you again…" began Bruce Wayne, emerging from his study, but his charming smile fell when he saw the Joker and Harley Quinn standing in his doorway. "And…you've brought some guests!" he said, dragging his lips back up into a smile with a colossal effort.

"Yeah, sorry, Bruce, hope you don't mind," said Two-Face, apologetically. "But the clowns stopped by to see Rose, and rather than disappoint them, she insisted we take them along."

"No, I don't…mind," stammered Bruce. "Good to see you again, Mr. Joker. Miss Quinn."

"Yeah, how ya doing, Brucie?" chuckled Joker. "Nice place you got here!" he said, looking around the entrance hall. "Must have cost you a bundle, but I guess you can afford it."

"Yes, it cost me…my parents' lives," said Bruce, slowly.

"Guess it was a steal, then!" chuckled Joker. "Hey Jeeves, scotch on the rocks and make it snappy," he said, turning to Alfred and snapping his fingers.

Alfred's normally imperturbable face looked slightly put out. "And for the lady?" he asked.

"I'd like a grape soda, if you got one," said Harley.

"I was referring to Miss Rose," retorted Alfred, coldly. "A glass of champagne, perhaps, Miss? Master Bruce has told me to open a bottle."

"Oh…Mother usually only lets me drink water…I'm not allowed a glass of champagne or anything, am I, Mother?" she asked, pleadingly.

Ivy sighed heavily, sharing a look with Two-Face. "Ask your father," she snapped.

"Father?" pleaded Rose.

Two-Face shrugged. "Why not? You only live once."

He frowned as he reminded himself of his daughter's condition, but she didn't seem to care, kissing both him and her mother on the cheek.

"Let me escort you into the dining room, Rose," said Bruce, holding out his arm for her.

She beamed and took it, smiling back at her parents. "Do allow me to show you all to the dining room…" began Alfred to the rest of the group, but Selina stormed past him, muttering, "Thanks, I know the way."

Joker grinned, giggling to himself as he followed Alfred down the hall. "It's gonna be a fun evening, Harley girl!" he chuckled. "I can tell already!"


	9. Chapter 9

"I don't like fish," said Harley, bluntly, as Alfred placed the first course in front of her.

"These are prawns, miss," he said.

"They look like fish," she said. "And same goes for any seafood. I just can't stand the thought of eating something that wriggles around in the water – gives me the creeps," she said, making a face.

"Well, how unfortunate that we've planned a seafood menu for tonight," muttered Alfred, looking at Bruce.

"So? You gotta have other kinds of food lying around this place – you're rich!" exclaimed Harley. "Just get back to the kitchen and cook me something I can eat!"

"Yeah, and while you're at it, another scotch over here, Jeeves," said Joker, holding up his empty glass and snapping his fingers again.

"Very good, sir," said Alfred, through gritted teeth. "May I freshen anyone else's drink?"

"I think we're fine, Alfred, thank you," said Two-Face. "It's good to see you again, by the way. It's been too long."

"Yes, it has, Mr. Dent," agreed Alfred. "You're looking…well."

"Same British tact!" laughed Two-Face. "I don't look at all well, Alfred, not compared to how I used to. But I'm feeling a lot better, so I guess that's what important. Especially recently," he said, smiling at his daughter.

"I am gratified to hear it, sir," replied Alfred. "I know Master Bruce hopes fervently for the day when you are fully recovered."

"Is something wrong with you, Father?" asked Rose in concern. "Are you sick?"

An awkward silence descended on the table. "No, I'm…fine, Rose," said Two-Face, gently.

"Then what does he mean recovered?" she asked, curiously.

"He means your father's face," invented Ivy, quickly. "You know he doesn't look quite normal, Rose."

"That's right, and sometimes it's weird going out in public," agreed Two-Face. "People stare."

"I think he's got a very handsome face, personally," said Selina, loudly.

"Well, yes, so do I," agreed Ivy.

"I assumed that's why Mother chose you to be my father," said Rose, smiling at him. "Because she loves you very deeply, so deeply that appearances don't even matter. It's what's inside that counts, and your soul and her soul are drawn to each other, because they're made for each other."

"Yeah, that's true love," sighed Harley. "Just like me and Mr. J, right, Mr. J?"

"Hey, I got a great appearance!" snapped Joker.

"Of course you do, puddin', I was just saying…"

"You were saying appearances didn't matter, and I'm saying that you're damn lucky to have a guy as hot as me, and if your appearance suddenly took a turn for the worse, I would drop you like a ton of bricks! I ain't gonna keep an ugly dame!" snapped Joker.

"He's just kidding around," said Harley. "He's the Joker, y'know, so he does that."

"I ain't kidding about that second scotch, Jeeves!" said Joker, snapping his fingers again. "Snap to it, huh? Gotta make the most of the free booze since someone else is paying!" he chuckled. "Same with the food, although Harley's right, it looks kinda suspect. Why, outta all the nationalities in the world, Brucie, would you hire an English cook? Everyone knows their food is terrible."

Alfred said nothing, leaving the room apparently calm as usual. But they heard a smash out in the hall, and then Alfred popped his head back in. "Please do mind the shards in the hallway – I'm afraid I've accidentally shattered a glass."

"So…Rose, perhaps I could give you a tour of the manor after dinner," said Bruce, changing the subject.

"Oh yes – that would be wonderful," said Rose, her eyes sparkling in excitement.

"Yes, we'd all enjoy that," agreed Ivy.

"Nah, kitty's seen it all before, haven't you?" asked Joker, grinning at Selina. "Especially the bedroom. I'm guessing you know your way around there pretty well."

"Have you been here before, Auntie Selina?" asked Rose.

"Yes, I…used to date Bruce," said Selina, slowly.

"Really? And how did you discover he was not your true love?" asked Rose, genuinely interested. "And that my father was?"

"Uh…well, Bruce often had…other commitments he would put before me," said Selina, slowly. "And I just think a guy's girlfriend should come first in his life."

"Then what are you doing with Harvey?" asked Joker, grinning. "His daughter comes first in his life."

"Yeah, and Batman comes first in Mr. J's life," said Harley, shrugging. "But it doesn't bother me in particular. You just have to learn to be less selfish and jealous, Selina. The important thing is he comes home to you at the end of the day. And then you get to take care of his wounds, and make him dinner, and if you're lucky, get a little playtime with the whoopie cushion…"

"Thanks, Harley, but I don't see myself as a dog who goes nuts just because a guy comes home to me," snapped Selina.

"No, clearly you relate more to a cat's attitude," chuckled Joker. "No displays of affection, making the man feel he should be grateful to serve you, and scratching him bloody if he don't pet you right."

"Oh, screw you, J…" began Selina.

"Please watch your language around my daughter, Selina," said Ivy, softly. "Children should not be exposed to unnecessary unpleasantness…"

"She's not a child, Pam!" snapped Selina. "I don't know what she is exactly, but she's not that! She's got the body of a woman, the brain of a baby, and the complexion of a plant! She's basically some sort of freak!"

Two-Face stood up. "I think you should go, Selina," he said, quietly. "If you can't be polite about my daughter, then I don't want your company anymore."

"You're…breaking up with me?" she demanded, shocked. "Here? In front of everyone?"

"Oooh, awkward!" giggled Joker.

"Harvey, maybe you'd better wait and do this privately…" began Ivy.

"No, Ivy, I don't want him to pretend he wants to be with me another second if he doesn't!" snapped Selina. "Good riddance, Harvey! I don't need you, and I don't need Bruce, and the next guy I'm gonna date is gonna be a nice, normal guy, not some crazy, costumed freak!"

"I'd be offended if you were you, Brucie!" chuckled Joker. "Grouping you in with the rest of us! I mean, I don't see what's so crazy about you, personally – you're no Batman!"

Selina glared at Joker, and then stormed past him to the door. She paused, and then came over to him. "J, I got a little secret to tell ya," she said, grinning as she beckoned him. "Come here."

Bruce's heart tightened in his chest as panic and fear seized him, but these emotions were relieved when Selina suddenly punched Joker in the face.

"You're an idiot!" she shouted, and then stormed off.

"Wow, that was completely uncalled for," said Joker, cupping his nose. "I didn't even make any pussy jokes or anything…"

"Father, I am so sorry if I offended Auntie Selina in any way," said Rose, sincerely. "I wouldn't be able to bear the guilt of being in any way responsible for you losing your true love."

"It's ok, Princess," he murmured. "Selina…wasn't my true love. I'm not sure who is…" he said, glancing at Ivy. "But I know she's not."

Alfred re-entered the room carrying several plates of food. "I see we're going to have a leftover salmon fillet," he commented, noticing Selina's empty chair.

"Yeah, feed it to some stray cats," said Bruce. "It's what Selina would want."

Alfred nodded, putting the plates down in front of everyone. "Your scotch, sir," he said, placing a glass in front of the Joker. "And for Miss Quinn, macaroni and cheese."

"Now you're talking!" exclaimed Harley, picking up her fork and digging in. Joker sipped his scotch and made a face.

"You put something in this?" he demanded.

"Why no, sir," said Alfred, surprised. "It's a rather old vintage, so perhaps that is why it tastes unfamiliar to you."

Harley suddenly let out a shriek, holding up a piece of something that had been hidden underneath the macaroni. "Oh God…fish!" she gasped, holding her throat. "I gotta go be sick somewhere!"

"Me first, you dumb blonde!" shouted Joker, shoving her out of the way as they raced toward the bathroom. Alfred smiled to himself as he finished serving, and slid an empty bottle of syrup of ipecac over to Bruce.

"Remind me never to complain about your cooking, Alfred," said Bruce, smiling as he tucked into his food.


	10. Chapter 10

The Joker and Harley Quinn were both out of action after that, and had to be driven home by a reluctant Two-Face, who assured them he would send the bill for the deep cleaning of his car to them. While they were out, Bruce showed Ivy and Rose around the manor. Rose stared around her, wide-eyed and full of praise for every new room and expensive object he pointed out.

Two-Face returned just as they were about to head to the gardens, and insisted on having a drink first. Ivy joined him as Rose went to get some fresh air out on the balcony, with Ivy warning her to stay in sight. Bruce watched her standing out in the night air, the moonlight shining through her red hair and holding out her hand to gently catch a moth fluttering around her.

Bruce slipped outside to join her as she released the moth into the night. "I hope you don't have bats around here," she said, turning to smile at him.

"Why…do you say that?" asked Bruce, slowly.

"The moth," she said, nodding at the fluttering insect disappearing into the night sky. "I would hate for it to be eaten. I understand it is nature's way, but sometimes it seems a shame for beautiful things to be destroyed before their time."

"Yes, it…it does," agreed Bruce, gazing at her.

"But then I suppose there's very little we can do to prevent nature taking its course," continued Rose. "She is our great Mother, who gives us life, and to whose loving embrace we return to when life is over."

She smiled at him. "I should think that would be a great comfort to you. To know that when you at last leave this world, you will be reunited with your Mother."

She squeezed his hand, and Bruce cleared his throat, fumbling in his pocket. "I got you something," he said, pulling out a small box. "Just a little trinket I saw and I thought it reminded me of you…"

He opened the box and Rose gasped as she saw a beautiful ruby brooch in the shape of a rose. "Oh…Bruce!" she stammered. "It's…gorgeous!"

"Perfect for you, then," he said, smiling at her. She smiled shyly back as she attempted to pick it up.

"Ouch!" she cried suddenly, as she pricked her finger on the open pin.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Rose!" cried Bruce, reaching for his handkerchief. "Do allow me…"

He pressed the cloth against her finger to stem the flow of blood, and to collect it for research purposes, of course. Rose laughed softly.

"Something funny about you hurting yourself?" asked Bruce, slowly.

She shook her head. "No, just reminded me of a story I read. About a princess who pricks her finger, which sends her into a deep sleep, that she can only be awoken from by true love's first kiss." She laughed again. "My father always calls me Princess, but I guess I'm not, because I'm not about to fall asleep."

She was beaming at him, and Bruce couldn't resist. "Well, perhaps…you'll still allow me to kiss you," he murmured.

She nodded shyly, and Bruce brought his lips gently forward. He saw Ivy watching them out of the corner of his eye, and she tensed up, but Two-Face gently grabbed her shoulders and made her sit down as Bruce's lips met Rose's.

Bruce had never felt someone actually smiling in happiness as they kissed him (except for that one horrifically awkward time the Joker had kissed Batman to create a diversion, which Bruce had often tried desperately to repress from his memory, although he sometimes still woke up screaming at night), but it was unlike anything he had ever experienced.

They drew apart at last, Rose still smiling at him. "That was…very nice," she said, blushing. "Thank you."

"It was my pleasure," he replied, sincerely. He cleared his throat. "Look, I hope this isn't too forward of me, but…I have a friend who specializes in rare diseases, and I was wondering if I could have your permission for him to look into your case."

"What case?" asked Rose, confused. "I don't have a disease."

"Well, no, not exactly," agreed Bruce. "But I'm sure he might be able to do something to help…your particular condition."

Rose looked puzzled. "Oh, you mean my lifespan!" she said at last, laughing.

"Yes," agreed Bruce. "I must say, I'm…surprised you can be so lighthearted about it."

She shrugged. "I don't have a choice about it. There's no point fighting against something that's fated to be. Mother has just told me to make the most of my life, and I hope I'm doing that. So why should I have any regrets when the end comes?"

Bruce didn't quite know how to respond to that. "You see, Bruce, Mother has told me that life can be full of terrible things," she continued. "Pain, heartache, loneliness. And she has told me that no life can avoid experiencing these things. Even the happiest, sunniest existence at some point will be touched by clouds and rain. Except mine. Mother has promised me my life will be perfect, and perfection can only last for so long. All good things must come to an end. I am perfectly happy now. But if I were going to live longer, that perfect happiness might be ruined. I might be hurt. Mother is right – you cannot avoid pain in life. But I will have lived just long enough to do that. I am the luckiest girl who ever lived."

She took his hand. "And I am lucky to have so many people in my life…who will make it so hard to leave it."

She planted a tender kiss on his lips again, and then went inside. Bruce remained standing outside thinking about their differing attitudes toward death.

He was used to the concept as being violent and painful, as his own experiences with death had always been – his parents, Jason Todd, and countless other victims of crime in Gotham that Batman had failed to prevent. He was used to doing anything to delay death, willing to sacrifice his own life to prolong others' even by a second. And yet when he had given Rose hope of prolonging her own life, she had rejected the idea. He had never met someone so purely happy to be alive, and yet willing to relinquish that which she loved most if she had to.

"Mr. Wayne," said a voice. He turned to see Poison Ivy standing in the doorway, thankfully looking calm. "Rose has asked me to invite you to her Wilting."

"Her what?" asked Bruce.

"Her Wilting," repeated Ivy. "The day when she will return to the earth that bore her. She wants to be surrounded by the people she cares about, and she has told me that she cares very deeply for you. Harvey and I will be there, of course, as will Harley, and hopefully not J, but Rose might insist…"

"I would be honored," interrupted Bruce. He paused. "Are…_you _ok with her just…dying?"

"There is nothing I can do to prevent it," she replied. "I…was initially conflicted about the idea of motherhood, to bring another human child into an already overpopulated world, to add to a race that slaughters and destroys without thought…so I thought I would compromise with a creature who is not quite human, and not on the world long enough to do damage to it. Nor for it to do damage to her. But perhaps I was rash in my decision. Perhaps life needs balance – the good with the bad, pain with pleasure, and perhaps we can only appreciate what we have after it has gone. And perhaps, in future, I should stick to growing killer plants rather than lovely people."

Bruce wasn't in favor of either of those options, but he honestly couldn't decide which was the lesser of two evils.


	11. Chapter 11

Any free time Bruce had in between his masquerading as Bruce Wayne and preventing crime as Batman was devoted to trying to prolong Rose's limited lifespan. But an analysis of her blood proved Ivy's claim to be true – there was nothing he could do to prevent nature taking its course. Her cells degraded too quickly, no matter what he tried to do to prevent it. He needed to synthesize some kind of bonding agent, and he knew that would take decades, time which Rose just didn't have.

As the months passed, she appeared no less beautiful, but he would occasionally notice little imperfections in her appearance, little flaws that hadn't been there before. Small blotches appeared on her skin, no bigger than freckles. Her hair appeared more limp and lifeless than before, and the sparkle gradually began to fade from her eyes, which looked slightly more sunken. Not that she still wasn't stunningly gorgeous, but it was the beauty of a flower that has been picked, and day by day begins to fade.

Still, she never complained, and never seemed anything but utterly happy. Her favorite past-time was walking with Bruce and her family in the Gotham City Botanical Gardens, where every variety of plant and flower thrived and grew. It was here, more than the luxurious opulence of places like Wayne Manor, that Rose really seemed to blossom – there was a glow to her smile and her eyes that was like nothing else as she skipped from flower to flower, taking in their scent but never daring to touch them.

The phone call came much sooner than Bruce expected. It was from Harvey, and it was short and sweet: "It's time."

Bruce raced immediately to the address Ivy had given him – technically Batman should have put both her and Two-Face behind bars a long time ago, but Bruce hadn't had the heart to split up their family. Plus he didn't know what would happen to Rose if her parents were dragged back to Arkham – he didn't want to have to put her through any unpleasantness like that during her limited time on earth.

The door was opened by Harley Quinn, whose makeup was running. "Hiya…Brucie!" she sobbed, blowing her nose on a tissue that didn't quite prevent flecks of snot spattering onto his suit. "C'mon in!"

"Hello, Harley," muttered Bruce. "How is Rose doing?"

Harley sobbed, and then blew her nose again. "She's hanging in there, the poor kid!" she sobbed. "Just being the picture of dignity and grace! I tell ya, I've never needed Mr. J here to comfort me so bad!"

"Well, he shouldn't have been wiring explosives in that toy factory if he didn't want to get dragged back to Arkham, should he?" asked Bruce, lightly.

Harley stared at him. "How did you know he was dragged back to Arkham? The papers ain't reported it yet."

"Oh…well, I just assumed since he wasn't with you…" began Bruce, hastily.

"How did you know about the toy factory, though?" she pressed. "That was a top secret scheme."

"Well, I have…contacts at the police station," snapped Bruce.

"But the police didn't handle it, it was the Bat…"

"Harvey, how's Rose?" interrupted Bruce, shoving past her into the living room where Two-Face sat, nursing a glass of whiskey.

"Oh, hi, Bruce. She's…uh…she could be better," he said, forcing a smile. "Pammie thinks…it's gonna be her final night."

"Is she in any pain?" asked Bruce, gently.

Two-Face shook his head. "No, she…uh…Pammie says it'll be just like her falling asleep. Except she ain't gonna…wake up…"

He put down his glass, burying his face in his hands. "God, I didn't know it was gonna be this difficult. I didn't know anything could be."

Bruce was silent. "Is there anything I can do?" he asked, quietly.

Two-Face looked up at him. "Was there anything anyone could do for you after you lost your parents?"

Bruce shook his head slowly. "Then no, there isn't," muttered Two-Face. "You'd better go see her, anyway. I'll be there in a second."

Bruce nodded, heading for the door. He glanced back and thought he saw Two-Face wiping his eyes. He had never seen his friend cry, in all the years he had known Harvey, and he doubted he wanted anyone to witness it now. Still, it made his heart break.

Not as much as it broke when he entered Rose's room to see her lying in bed, breathing softly, as Ivy bent over her, stroking her hair back. Rose opened her eyes as he entered and beamed with that same, radiant smile.

"Bruce," she whispered, struggling to sit up.

"No, no, flower, just lie still," murmured Ivy, pushing her gently back down.

"Hi, Rose," murmured Bruce, coming over to her and raising her hand to his lips. It felt so frail. "How are you feeling?"

She managed a smile. "I've felt better," she whispered. "But Mother says it will all soon be over."

Her other hand reached for Ivy's. "Thank you, Mother," she whispered, smiling at her. "For bringing me into this world, for letting me experience how wonderful life can be…and for letting me leave before it can change for the worse. I owe all my happiness to you."

"Thank you, petal," whispered Ivy, kissing her forehead. "But it's not just me you have to thank."

"No, of course not," she said. "My father too," she added, as Two-Face entered. "I would never have lived if not for him. And…despite what Mother told me about men…I know there is at least one wonderful man in the world. Well, two," she added, smiling at Bruce. "Thank you both for taking such good care of me, and making me so very happy."

"Aw, Princess," whispered Two-Face, bending down to kiss her cheek. "Thank you for making us so happy. I'm just…sorry you have to go."

"Don't be sorry, Father," murmured Rose, smiling. "You'll still have Mother and Bruce to comfort you. And Auntie Harley and Uncle Joker, when he comes back from his emergency operation. I hope his appendix gets taken out all right, Auntie Harley," said Rose, nodding at her as she entered. "Tell him goodbye from me."

"Oh, I will, precious," cooed Harley. "And don't you worry. He's gonna be just fine. It ain't the first time he's had his appendix removed, and it probably won't be the last."

Bruce rolled his eyes, but immediately drew his attention back to Rose, who called his name. She gestured weakly toward her throat. "I…wanted to wear this specially for my Wilting," she murmured, touching the rose brooch he had given her. "When I am…gone, I would like you to take it back. To remember me by."

"Oh, Rose," murmured Bruce. "I don't need anything to remember you by. It would be impossible for me to forget you."

A knock came on the door. "Who could that be?" asked Ivy, puzzled, as Harley raced to answer it.

"I suspect…the last person I invited, Mother," said Rose, smiling.

The door opened and Selina Kyle entered the room. "I wanted Auntie Selina to be here," Rose murmured. "I didn't want things to be ruined between you and her because of me. I have forgiven her for what she said about me, and I think you should too. Life's too short…to waste on petty grudges. Life's too short…to be without the people you love," she murmured, gazing at Bruce.

She smiled. "I have said this before, but…I feel so lucky to be surrounded by so many people who make it…so difficult to leave them. I hope you will all be happy in the memory of me…rather than grieved that my time is over. I hope I have given to your life the same joy you have given to mine. I have…been so very happy. And I love you all."

Ivy and Two-Face held her hands, and Bruce planted a gentle kiss on her forehead. Her eyes shut and she released her last breath with a smile.


	12. Chapter 12

Ivy lifted up the body gently in her arms – it weighed almost nothing. "I need to return her to the earth at once," she whispered, carrying it into the greenhouse and shutting the door. Harley started sobbing again and raced off, and Two-Face left the room to be on his own, leaving Bruce and Selina alone.

"You couldn't save her, huh?" asked Selina, quietly. "There wasn't any way?"

"No," agreed Bruce. "No, hers is another life that…Batman will have to live with the guilt of losing."

"You shouldn't be so hard on yourself," she murmured. "She didn't seem unhappy at the end. I hope we can all meet our deaths with such dignity…whenever they might be."

"Hopefully a long time from now," said Bruce.

Selina was silent, and then cleared her throat. "When Rose called me…she asked that I come here not for her, but for you."

"Me?" repeated Bruce.

Selina nodded. "She said it was obvious, even at that one dinner, that you…cared about me. And she wanted the two of us to be together. She told me that…although she loved you, she knew her time was limited. And she wanted you to be with someone who could love you for the rest of your life. Apparently she couldn't fathom things like selfishness or jealousy…she just wanted the people she loved to be happy."

"I wish I could have saved her," murmured Bruce. "The world needs more people like that in it."

Selina nodded. "Anyway, even I'm not tacky enough to ask you out right now," she murmured. "But if you ever feel particularly lonely…give me a call sometime, huh?"

"Thanks, Selina," he said. "I will call you. I promise."

"Ok," she said. She kissed his cheek. "See you soon, Bruce."

She left him, and Bruce headed into the living room, where Two-Face sat, flipping his coin obsessively.

"You ok, Harvey?" asked Bruce, gently.

"No," he muttered. "But I will be. Eventually."

Bruce took a seat next to him but said nothing. "I…never wanted to be a father, Bruce," Two-Face murmured. "But…I really enjoyed it while it lasted. And now it's over. She's gone. She made me see…that there was more to me than my criminal persona. She made me like who I was, because she loved who I was. I've never experienced that before, unconditional love…"

He buried his face in his hands. "And I never will again," he whispered. "She's gone."

"Well, maybe someday you'll have other kids, Harvey…" began Bruce.

"With who, Bruce?" demanded Two-Face. "Pammie won't want any more after this. And I can't…really see myself with anyone else long-term."

"There's still time, Harvey," murmured Bruce. "That's what Rose taught me. That the world is actually…full of lots of wonderful things. And we have the time to appreciate them, so we should make the most of it."

"Mr. Wayne, I believe this is yours," murmured Ivy from the doorway. She held out the rose brooch to him and he took it from her.

"I'm…very sorry for your loss, Miss Ivy," he said.

"I am used to loss, Mr. Wayne," she murmured. "And so should you be. It is the nature of life."

Bruce didn't know how to respond to that, so he just nodded. "I'll…uh…give you two some time alone. See you soon, Harvey," he said, patting his friend on the shoulder.

He left, shutting the door behind him. "You ok?" asked Ivy, gently.

Two-Face nodded. "You?"

She nodded. "Yes."

They didn't say another word, and Ivy slowly sat down next to him. "We…didn't make that bad a family in the end, huh?" asked Two-Face, quietly.

"No," she agreed. "No, we didn't."

He looked up at her. "Why…did you choose me to be Rose's father?" he asked.

She laughed without humor. "Who else would I have chosen? Anyway, I…missed you. I wanted you involved in my life again, however remotely."

"Guess your plan worked," said Two-Face, forcing a smile. "I'm here now."

She nodded. "Look, Harvey, there's something I have to tell you," she murmured. "I haven't been completely honest with you, or anyone, about Rose."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

She sighed, meeting his eyes. "Rose is…perennial."

"What does that mean?" asked Two-Face, puzzled.

"It means she'll grow back," she murmured. "That's why I had to return her to the earth so quickly…it absorbed her body and returned her to her rootstock."

"Explain that…to a non-plant lover," said Two-Face, slowly.

"When I grew Rose, I grew her from one seedling out of many," explained Ivy. "The others I planted into the soil so that when Rose's time came, she could return to her roots, and…grow again."

"Pammie, are you saying…she's not dead?" asked Two-Face, slowly. "That she's gonna…come back?"

Ivy nodded. "But not until we're ready, Harvey," she said, placing a small seed into his hand. "This is…one half of what's needed to grow Rose back. I want you to keep one, and me to keep the other, so that next time…it'll be our mutual decision to have our daughter. We can grow her back now or…whenever you're ready. She's just…going to go through this every winter – she's going to die every year and be reborn to live her life cycle another year. The only thing that can permanently destroy her is violence. But…I don't think I can put her through growth, life, and death again so soon. I also don't think I can put myself through it all again so soon," she sighed. "Loving people is so painful sometimes."

"Yeah," agreed Two-Face, looking at the seed. "Worth it, though."

"Yeah," she agreed.

They didn't speak. "Well, I don't think it's fair on Rose to…let her stay resting for long," said Two-Face, slowly.

Ivy smiled. "You wanna take care of her during her childhood this time?"

"I want us both to," he said, taking her hand. "I wanna be there for her…and for you, Pam."

Ivy smiled at him, and then leaned forward and gently kissed him. "Well, c'mon then," she said, standing up and pulling him toward the greenhouse. "Let me show you how she's grown. And this time you can do the late night feedings, once I show you how to make up her growth formula, of course. And you can change the diapers and do the laundry and the cooking - I mean, a man's gotta be good for something, right?"

**The End**


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